DeLay, opponents battle it out in the last days of campaign

SESHADRI KUMAR

Published
6:00 pm CST, Sunday, February 26, 2006

The incumbent Tom DeLay, facing probably the toughest election battle in his political career, called upon the Texas GOP Congressional delegation which held an early voting rally honoring DeLay in Houston last week.

DeLay's spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty said "DeLay continues to receive a record level of grassroots support. In addition to being endorsed by more than 95 local officials throughout the 22nd District, DeLay was unanimously end-orsed by the Fort Bend, Harris, and Brazoria County Republican Executive Committees."

The campaign has placed over 5,000 requested yard signs at homes throughout the district, 1,000 additional volunteers have signed-up to help the campaign in recent weeks, and more than 5,000 new donors have joined the DeLay campaign effort, Flaherty said.

DeLay has attended dozens of events, including meet and greets, candidate forums, local luncheons, and community activities. At each of these events he has received multiple, sustained standing ovations and thousands of supporters have cheered him on, Flaherty said.

At a candidate forum hosted by the Fort Bend Republican Women's Club PAC and the Spirit of Freedom Republican Women's Club, DeLay's rival Tom Campbell stressed the message that a vote for DeLay would mean that Democrat Nick Lampson would be the next Dist. 22 congressman.

Campbell claimed because of the indictment and DeLay's association with the convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, DeLay would be a liability for the party and only Campbell could defeat Lampson in the November general election.

A poll sponsored by the Tom Campbell for Congress Campaign shows that Campbell is now running neck and neck with his opponent, Tom DeLay, in the race for the 22nd Congressional seat, said Michael Stanley, campaign chairman for Campbell last Friday.

This internal poll conducted by OneNet Info showed Campbell with 47.7 percent and DeLay with 38.4 percent, with undecided and others at 13.9 percent.

Stanley said, 'This poll shows that our message is getting through. The voters are realizing that Tom Campbell has the best chance of beating Nick Lampson in the fall. While the poll shows we are ahead, the larger margin of error leads me to believe that the two candidates are neck and neck."

Campbell also said that this poll re-enforces the fact that DeLay is unelectable in November. 'If DeLay is having this much resistance from Republican voters in the primary, how does he expect to win in November," Campbell said.

Mike Fjetland, another candidate in the race also attended the forum hosted by the Republican Women's Club. DeLay and another candidate, Pat Baig, did not attend that forum.

Fjetland agreed with Campbell that that "DeLay is finished."

" I've been saying it a lot longer because the problems have been evident for years. The Scotland trip, Abramoff, etc. all occurred since 2000. I have been reaching out to the people of the since 2000 to make this long overdue change. The budget is a mess, security was zilch before 911, lobby money still fuels his campaign and buys our representatives vote - things remain the same," Fejtland said.

In the candidates forum hosted by mayors and councilmembers last week, DeLay did not explain why he had diverted $325 million in Federal commuter rail money away from his own district, even though everyone in District 22 paid into that fund when filling up their gas tanks, year after year, Fejtland said.

"If I had been congressman the last 22 years, we would already have a commuter rail link to the historic Richmond - Rosenberg downtown areas, plus Sugar Land and Missouri City, giving Houston residents access to unique antique shops and businesses in Rose-Rich while taking tens of thousands of cars off our overcrowded roads. The same would apply to the Clear Lake/ Galveston extensions, which I support," Fejtland said.

The Pat Baig for Congress Campaign issued a statement in response to what it called "the inaccurate and self-serving statements delivered to a select press corps on Thursday by a contingent of Texas Congressmen circling the wagons to protect their embattled colleague."

"The District 22 incumbent was compared to General Stonewall Jackson, Lyndon Johnson, and an unnamed hero of WW1. We also suggest three historical figures for comparison: George Custer, Richard Nixon, and Aaron Burr, " Baig said.

"However, we do agree with one statement made by Representative Carter that Tom DeLay symbolically wears a slogan on his chest that proclaims; "Shoot me first," but we assert that it is his peccadilloes in office not his noble intentions that earn him that designation," she said.

" My motivation for seeking the US House seat in District 22 is based on my tough tenacious desire to return integrity, ability, and common sense to the next Congress," Baig said.

Last week Baig released her television campaign to remind the voters just how and why change is so necessary to promote continued prosperity and to insure a vibrant future for our district for generations to come.